An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo on Thursday sentenced a 29-year-old resident pastor of Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners Chapel, to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord, Gabriel Bassey Edward.
The trial judge, Justice Gabriel Ette, found Prince Emmanuel Umoh, who served at the Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon branch of the church in Uyo, guilty of stabbing Edward to death.
The deceased was a 500-level Civil Engineering student of the University of Uyo whose academic results, released after his death, indicated he graduated with First Class honours.
Facts presented before the court showed that Edward had moved into his late mother’s property at Ifa Ikot Ubo to safeguard the estate and reside closer to school.
His mother, who died in December 2019, had established a nursery school within the compound.
The deceased lived in a two-bedroom apartment attached to a large hall in the compound alongside his younger brother, Emmanuel Edward Bassey.
The hall, initially built for school activities, was later leased to Living Faith Church for worship at an annual rent of N150,000 with the approval of his father, Emana Bassey Edward, a retired school principal.
The congregation reportedly commenced use of the hall before completing payment.
Umoh was subsequently deployed to the branch as its pioneer resident pastor.
According to evidence tendered in court, the defendant was seen entering the compound on December 21, 2020. Neighbours later reported hearing shouts of “Jesus” from within the premises.
Shortly afterwards, the pastor was said to have emerged wearing a white garment stained with blood, claiming he had fallen while fixing a banner. Edward was not seen alive again.
On December 26, 2020, his decomposing body was discovered in his room, wrapped in a mat and bearing multiple cuts.
A butcher’s knife was recovered beside the corpse. Investigators arrested Umoh, who was identified as the last person seen with the deceased and was alleged to have had bloodstains on his clothing, and he was subsequently charged with murder.
He was arraigned on December 6, 2021, on a one-count charge of murder and pleaded not guilty.
To prove its case, the prosecution called six witnesses, including the deceased’s father. Testifying as the first prosecution witness, he told the court that shortly after the church began services, the defendant sought permission to store church chairs and equipment inside his son’s apartment for safekeeping because the hall lacked doors and windows. The request was granted.
However, the arrangement later led to friction. The deceased was often required to return home to grant the pastor access to the stored items, incurring transport costs that were not refunded.
Following complaints, his father directed that a spare key be handed to the pastor to ease access.
The court heard that after the key was given out, personal belongings of the deceased’s late mother, including household items and clothing, began to disappear. Suspicion fell on the defendant, who reportedly claimed he had misplaced the key when confronted.
The matter was escalated to the church’s senior pastor, Owoidoho Etuk Akpan, who appeared as a defence witness.
He told the court he provided N5,000 to enable the deceased to replace the locks. Evidence showed that no further losses were recorded after the locks were changed.
Tension later developed between the deceased and the defendant over the handling of rent proceeds allegedly meant for repairs of the property.
Delivering a judgment that lasted over two hours, Justice Ette described the case as deeply troubling, recounting the late mother’s efforts to develop the property for educational purposes before her death.
He held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge decried the killing, describing it as a betrayal of sacred trust, particularly given the defendant’s position as a religious leader.
“Life is sacred and those who claim to represent God must uphold that sanctity.
It is disturbing when a man who professes divine calling descends to such depths as to take a life within church premises,” the judge said.
He added that individuals who abuse public trust in such a manner constitute a threat to society and must face the full consequences of the law.
“Having found you guilty as charged, I hereby sentence you to death by hanging,” Justice Ette pronounced.